More richly deserved recognition

Published May 16, 2013 at 9:32 am

This week brought two of my favorite kinds of announcements, which in turn, allows me to write my favorite kind of column.

The first was the announcement that North Branch Area Middle School Principal Todd Tetzlaff has been selected as the Capitol Division Middle School Principal of the Year by the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP).

We could not be more thrilled for Todd. He is an extremely effective middle school principal and is the longest tenured of our principals. His school has received two Spotlight awards in recent years and he is highly regarded in our school district and by his colleagues around the state.

With this honor, Todd becomes eligible for Principal of the Year, and we can’t think of a more appropriate choice.

Also announced this week was former Activities Director Becky Leuer’s inclusion in the Minnesota State High School League Hall of Fame.

What can be said about Becky that hasn’t already been said? She came to North Branch Area Public Schools straight from college and spent her entire career working for the community. She coached about every girls sport we have and served as the activities director from 2000 until her retirement in 2009.

She continues to dedicate herself to public service, acting as our energy efficiency coordinator and robotics advisor. This community has benefited from her devotion to students and education for decades.

On behalf of a grateful school district and community, I would like to offer my congratulations to both of these individuals. They have enriched the lives of too many students to count and the community is better for that. If you see Todd or Becky around town, please take a moment to thank them for their service.